CD Review: Diskonnekted - Hotel Existence

Written by Sebastian Huhn Friday, 29 June 2012 09:41

Artist: Diskonnekted
Title: Hotel Existence
Genre: Electronic
Release Date: 18th May 2012
Label: Alfa Matrix

Album Review

Remember just a couple of years back, Belgian DISKONNEKTED have done the daring dance through various genres of Electronica on the album ‘Old-School Policies’. It should take them nearly 4 years to wrap up the fourth instalment by the name of ‘Hotel Existence’. Already the opening track ‘Yesteryears’, which some of you might know already, reveals the project is taking a few new directions at once within a mix of airy synths and textured guitar injections embedded into a crunchy beat fundament. Altogether makes for a catchy and moody introduction to the album. Track two ‘Conspiracy’ heads back into darker waters, deals with politics, amongst others, and in parts resembles dubstep material which is so popular nowadays, only in a positive way. ‘Justify’ then brings another shift in direction towards a largely organic build intertwined with glitch electronics. All in all, it’s akin to an atmospheric rock track more than anything else and I’m, pretty happy with the direction the song takes.

‘Razorsarpshooter’ is none of your average club flavours. For that, the rhythm is much too complex in its fabric and there’s too much breaks included as well. If you’re up for something different on the other hand this might just be up your alley. Although starting with a piano-led intro that suggests otherwise ‘Dark Place’ grows to become quite an engaging adventure rushing from the clarity of melancholy down to glitch-laden abysms over to a barrage of beats. Right when you start wondering where there’s a moment of absolute calm and introspection ‘Empty’ is coming along, presenting to you reflective vocals on lush and sombre soundscapes with no drum interruption included. This is just a few moments before ‘Little Darkness’ tears it all apart again with a swirling cocktail of grooving drums, soaring guitars and the occasional incursion of an atmosphere. The compact ‘Neverland’ represents a highlight on ‘Hotel Existence’ morphing from a warped construction of quirky electronics into a surging composition of gravitating bass and scissoring rock elements under a veil of darkness.

The title says that on the penultimate track ‘Dalloway’s Journey’ the “Sunny side project of DISKONNEKTED” is involved. Even though the song comes off quite relaxed it dwells in autumnal moods and reflections, rather than letting through a beam of sunlight. Lyrically, it’s a different thing though. The character fights to shake of the dark past and start over again. Once it has stopped raining deep waves of bass run through the streets hitting broken beats on the way until the view turns skywards into eternity. Once again, DISKONNEKTED do the style hopping on their newest album. But they ‘re doing it in a way it doesn’t get messy in the end, that is, incomprehensive for the listener. Everything’s blended together carefully, so you won’t lose track and enjoy the album for what it is. The next evolutional step for the band and an entertaining album to listen to.


Tracklist

01. Yesteryears - 5:16
02. Conspiracy - 3:44
03. Justify - 5:20
04. Razorsharpshooter - 3:38
05. Dark_Place (ft_GNY) - 4:38
06. Empty - 3:22
07. Sunblind - 4:02
08. Little Darkness - 4:02
09. Neverland - 3:57
10. Stuck In One Universe - 2:40
11. To Have And To Hold (Album Version) - 3:58
12. Justify (short reprise) - 0:48
13. Dalloway's Journey (ft Lemongrazz) - 6:38
14. Tunnel Vision - 4:56


Line-up

Jan DeWulf


Website

http://news.diskonnekted.com/ / http://www.facebook.com/hoteldiskonnekted


Cover Picture




Rating

Music: 8
Sound: 9
Extras: -
Total: 8.5 / 10